Fluid Levels Low?

Do you ever check the fluid levels in your car? If you do, you know that they occasionally need to be replenished. If you don’t you find out the hard way when a red warning light flashes on your dashboard. If only our bodies were as easy to check as the car, then we’d know that when we’re working hard, especially in the heat, our fluid and electrolyte levels drop dramatically – sometimes with disastrous effect.

An average adult body is 50 to 65 percent water — that’s roughly 45 quarts. Blood is made up of 83 percent water, bones are 22 percent water, and muscle is 75 percent water. Water is the basis for all body fluids and is involved in numerous vital metabolic processes. While a human can survive more than a week without food, a person will die within a few days without water.

When we lose fluid through sweat we also lose minerals such as calcium, potassium and sodium, electrolytes that help regulate the body’s fluid balance. Just a two to five percent decrease in body fluid can reduce blood volume, decreasing oxygen delivery to muscles and organs. Decreased carbohydrate availability may also occur resulting in low muscle glycogen levels. Prolonged exercise, outdoor activities at elevated temperature/humidity and occasional gastric imbalances are associated with loss of body fluid and dehydration.

One hour of moderate intensity exercise at a temperature of 70° Fahrenheit results in an average loss of 27 ounces of sweat. Even low intensity exercise or activity can cause significant fluid loss. At this point performance declines due to increased reaction time and decreased concentration and judgment. Of even more concern is the fact that the individual may be completely unaware of these occurrences.

Situations other than exercise can also cause fluid loss. Long airplane flights mean prolonged exposure to cabin air with humidity levels around ten percent. Low humidity air combined with restricted mobility and decreased fluid intake can create the potential for fluid imbalance.

Older individuals typically eat less food, which is a major source of fluid. They may become more susceptible to fluid loss because the body’s ability to conserve water decreases with age. The sense of thirst also becomes less keen with age. Older individuals may simply forget to eat or drink. The effects of fluid loss are cumulative with one day’s deficit amplifying the previous day’s deficit.

Failing to address fluid imbalance and dehydration can have serious health consequences. Do not wait until fluid imbalance becomes a problem. Prevention is the key. Hydrate before and during exercise or other situations conducive to fluid loss, then rehydrate adequately upon completion of the activity.

Rehydrate Electrolyte Replacement drink (available in Citrus, Fruit Punch, Grape)has a low glycemic index that produces a reduced insulin response and is isotonic, thus providing rapid gastric emptying and rapid rehydration. It provides the necessary nutrients to maintain metabolism, delay onset of fatigue, and speed total body recovery by:

• Hydrating and rehydrating the body
• Establishing/re-establishing electrolyte balance
• Supplying antioxidants to counter the effects of free radicals
• Supporting the body’s energy cycle
• Providing carbohydrate fuel necessary for energy production

The nutrients contained in the Rehydrate formula can be categorized into the following groups:

• Electrolytes: It has a balanced 1:1 ratio of sodium and potassium to replenish these ions that are lost in sweat and urine.  It supplies calcium and magnesium, vital to muscle physiology and energetics, benefiting both contraction and relaxation phases for reduced cramping and rapid recovery.
• Antioxidants: The antioxidants in the formula may help protect against exercise-induced oxidative stress.
• Energy Cycle Support: L-Arginine helps support muscle strength and recovery as well as optimizing cardiovascular blood flow. Coenzymes and catalysts for cell energy production optimize the conversion of macronutrients into energy.
• Sustained Carbohydrate Energy: It contains sequential carbohydrate profile for sustained energy. The addition of the essential trace mineral, chromium, aids in proper carbohydrate metabolism.
• L-Glutamine: L-Glutamine helps buffer and process lactic acid produced during physical activity, resulting in reduced muscle cramping. It also serves as an energy source for the brain and mental function.

For more information on hydration please see:

• Working out in the heat
• 5 Tips on better hydration
• Air Travel Facts
• Beat the Summer Heatwave

Fun Facts for the 4th!

Courtesy of the US Census Bureau - here’s a collection of 4th of July and Americana Fun Facts. Have a Happy Fourth!

On July 4th 1776, the Declaration of  Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, triggering the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.

In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was  2.5 million.

The nation’s population on this July Fourth is 302 million.
Fourth of July Cookout Statistics

• More than 1 in 4
  The chance that the hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State had a total of 15.5 million market hogs and pigs on March 1.
• 6.8 billion pounds
  Total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2006. Chances are good that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on your backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for about one-sixth of the nation’s total production.
• About 50-50
  The odds that the beans in your side dish of baked beans came from Michigan or North Dakota, which produced 49 percent of the nation’s dry, edible beans in 2006. Another popular Fourth of July side dish is corn on the cob. Florida, California, Georgia and New York together accounted for 60 percent of the sweet corn produced nationally in 2006.
• Please Pass the Potato Salad
  Potato salad and potato chips are popular food items at Fourth of July barbecues. Nearly half of the nation’s spuds were produced in Idaho or Washington in 2006.
• More than 70 percent
  Amount of the nation’s head lettuce production in 2006 that came from California. This lettuce may end up in your salad or on your hamburger.
• About 2 in 3
  The chances that the fresh tomatoes in your salad came from Florida or California, which combined accounted for 68 percent of U.S. tomato production last year. The ketchup on your hamburger or hot dog probably came from California, which accounted for 95 percent of processed tomato production in 2006.
• More than 74 million
  Number of Americans who said they have taken part in a barbecue during the previous year. It’s probably safe to assume a lot of these events took place on Independence Day.

Fireworks

• $206.3 million
  The value of fireworks imported from China in 2006, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($216 million). U.S. exports of fireworks,by comparison, came to just $22.6 million in 2006, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($8 million).

Patriotic-Sounding Names

• 30

Number of places nationwide with “liberty” in its name. The most populous one is Liberty, Mo. (29,042). Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.

• 32

Places are named “eagle” — after the majestic bird that serves as our national symbol. (Places include cities, towns, villages and census-designated places.) The most populous such place is Eagle Pass, Texas, with 25,571 residents. There is also Eagle County, Colo., with a population of 49,085.

– And what could be more fitting than spending the Fourth of July in a place called “America”? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, population 21,372.

Blood Cholesterol level – What about it?

Heart disease is the number one killer of women and men in the United States. Each year, more than a million Americans have heart attacks, and about a half million people die from heart disease. Having high blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. In fact, the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack.

When there is too much cholesterol (a fat-like substance) in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries. Over time, this buildup causes “hardening of the arteries” so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down or blocked. The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.

Since high blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms,many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high. It is important to find out what your cholesterol numbers are because lowering cholesterol levels that are too high lessens the risk for developing heart disease and reduces the chance of a heart attack or dying of heart disease, even if you already have it.

Cholesterol lowering is important for everyone–younger, middle age, and older adults; women and men; and people with or without heart disease.

What Do Your Cholesterol Numbers Mean?

Everyone age 20 and older should have their cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years. It is best to have a blood test called a “lipoprotein profile” to find out your cholesterol numbers. This blood test is done after a 9- to 12-hour fast and gives information about your:

• Total cholesterol
• LDL (bad) cholesterol – the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries
• HDL (good) cholesterol – helps keep cholesterol from building up in the arteries
• Triglycerides – another form of fat in your blood

If it is not possible to get a lipoprotein profile done, knowing your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol can give you a general idea about your cholesterol levels. If your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL* or more or if your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL, you will need to have a lipoprotein profile done.

See how your cholesterol numbers compare to the tables below.

Total Cholesterol Level                                              Category
Less than 200 mg/dL                                                  Desirable
200-239 mg/dL                                                             Borderline high
240 mg/dL and above                                                 High

LDL Cholesterol Level                                   LDL Cholesterol Category
Less than 100 mg/dL                                    Optimal
100-129 mg/dL                                              Near optimal/above optimal
130-159 mg/dL                                              Borderline high
160-189 mg/dL                                              High
190 mg/dL and above                                Very high

*Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter (dL) of blood.

HDL (good) cholesterol protects against heart disease, so for HDL, higher numbers are better. A level less than 40 mg/dL is low and is considered a major risk factor because it increases your risk for developing heart disease. HDL levels of 60 mg/dL or more help to lower your risk for heart disease.

Triglycerides can also raise heart disease risk. Levels that are borderline high (150-199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may need treatment in some people.